It was noon, and the sun was shining brightly.
Kitahara Kaede walked through the gates of the Hidden Leaf Hospital with a familiar stride, carrying a double-layered sandalwood insulated lunch box.
As he walked down the corridor, the nurses and dical ninja passing by instinctively slowed their pace. A few young nurses exchanged glances, covering their mouths and winking with ambiguous smiles.
One daring dical Chunin stepped forward to greet him. "Lord Kaede, bringing lunch for Lady Tsunade again?"
Without stopping, Kitahara Kaede gave a casual nod. "Yes. She just finished a surgery; she should be hungry."
A wave of suppressed whispers broke out around them. The relationship between the two had long been an open secret among the Hidden Leaf high command and the hospital staff.
On the top floor, in the Chief's office, the door pushed open.
Tsunade walked in, her face etched with exhaustion. Several high-intensity suturing surgeries in a row had drained her energy. Her brow was furrowed, and she rubbed the bridge of her nose, radiating irritation.
The mont she looked up, her eyes t Kitahara Kaede, who was sitting on the sofa.
The irritation vanished instantly. A light flickered in her golden-brown eyes, and her lips curled upward unconsciously. She walked over quickly.
"When did you get here?"
Kitahara Kaede stood up, pulled out a soft chair beside him, and pressed her shoulder to guide her into the seat.
"Just arrived."
He sat beside her and reached across the table, the latch of the lunch box clicking open with a soft *snap*. The aroma of fish and at, mixed with warm white steam, instantly filled the office.
Kitahara Kaede didn't rush to hand her the chopsticks. Instead, he drew out a clean, pure white handkerchief. He took Tsunade's hand and began to wipe it for her. His movents were slow and deliberate, yet entirely natural.
A faint blush rose to Tsunade's cheeks. She let him finish cleaning her hands before taking the chopsticks. As she began to eat, her complaints poured out unabashedly.
"Those old fools in high command are completely braindead!"
"They send a flood of critically injured patients all at once, but then they stall the approval for dical supplies? They expect to shoulder everything alone?"
"Once I'm done with these patients, I'm going to smash every single one of their desks!"
Kitahara Kaede listened in silence. He held a cup of warm barley tea, bringing it to her lips at just the right mont.
"Eat slowly."
There was no judgnt in his voice—only indulgence and warmth.
Once she was full and satisfied, the empty lunch box was pushed aside. Tsunade let out a long sigh of relief. Her body slumped as she let down all her defenses, resting her head heavily on Kitahara Kaede's shoulder. Her senses were filled with his scent.
Outside the window, sunlight spilled over the uneven rooftops of the Hidden Leaf village. Gazing at the tranquility, Tsunade's eyes grew hazy. Her voice was soft, laced with deep longing.
"Kaede."
Kitahara Kaede tilted his head slightly, his chin brushing against her golden hair. "Hmm?"
"When this damn war is finally over, I'm quitting this wretched doctor business."
She extended a finger, sketching an invisible outline in the air. "At that ti, we'll move to the edge of the village and buy a house with a big yard. The front yard will be full of flowers and plants, and the back yard will be for the vegetables and fruits you like to eat."
"If that brat Nawaki cos over every day to scavenge food, we'll make him responsible for the dishes."
By the end, she couldn't help but laugh. Her laughter held a vivid, lting longing for the future.
Suddenly, Tsunade stopped laughing. She snapped her head up, her amber eyes sparkling as she stared directly at Kitahara Kaede's profile.
"And one more thing!"
She reached out and grabbed his collar, her nose nearly touching his. Her tone was half-spoiled, half-threatening.
"We agreed back in the Land of Rain—we're going to see the sea after the war. You aren't going to go back on your word, are you?"
Kitahara Kaede lowered his gaze to the eyes so close to his own. He raised his hand, resting his palm on her soft golden hair and rubbing it gently. He gave her a firm, reassuring promise.
"I won't. I'll accompany you wherever you want to go."
Satisfied, Tsunade let go and rested her head back in the crook of his shoulder, closing her eyes with a comfortable hum.
***
By evening, the setting sun had dyed the bustling streets of the Hidden Leaf a deep, rich orange.
With his hands in his pockets, Kitahara Kaede leaned against a stone pillar outside the hospital gates, waiting. Tsunade, having changed out of her white coat and back into her regular clothes, ran quickly down the steps.
Naturally, she reached out and slid her fingers between his, interlocking them.
Hand in hand, Kitahara Kaede led her through the evening breeze. The scent of grilled at and sake wafted from a nearby izakaya. Occasionally, a Genin would run past, shouting greetings to "Lady Tsunade" and "Lord Kaede."
A bright smile lingered on Tsunade's face as she responded openly. It was peaceful and sweet.
As they approached the entrance to Tsunade's ho, they stopped. Kitahara Kaede let go of her hand.
"Get so rest early."
Tsunade stood on the steps. As the evening breeze blew past, her fair cheeks looked translucent and flushed under the sunset. Suddenly, she took a half-step forward, rising onto her tiptoes.
Her hands pressed firmly against Kitahara Kaede's shoulders, and her soft, cool lips pressed against his without warning. It was a light kiss, yet it felt searingly warm.
The contact was brief. Before Kitahara Kaede could react, she spun around. With a trace of panic and shyness in her silhouette, she practically fled into the house. Only a string of cheerful, crisp laughter remained in the air, rippling with the breeze.
The door shut with a loud *bang*.
Kitahara Kaede remained where he stood. His fingers lingered on his lips as he stood in silence for a while.
...
Late at night.
The lights in the room were off. Kitahara Kaede sat alone at his desk. The tenderness and smiles of the day had vanished.
He looked at the file on the desk—the one Tsunade had seen. Several lines of bold black text stared back at him:
[TOP SECRET RECONNAISSANCE]
[Large-scale mobilization of an unknown force detected on the eastern border of the Land of Fire.]
[Current intelligence is extrely scarce; the nature and scale of the target cannot be confird.]
[Requires the assignnt of top-tier combat power to infiltrate the core area and obtain accurate intelligence!]
[Danger Level: Provisionally Highest!]
Kitahara Kaede stared at the words "Provisionally Highest." This was exactly the kind of "suitable" mission he needed.
He pulled a piece of stationery from the drawer and began to write. Once finished, he folded the letter carefully.
Then, he pulled a wooden box from under the bed, placed the envelope inside, locked it, and pushed it back.
After completing this, moonlight filtered through a gap in the window, falling across Kitahara Kaede's chest. It illuminated the dark green necklace hanging around his neck.
Kitahara Kaede looked down, quietly stroking the pendant.
anwhile, at Tsunade's house, on a large, luxurious bed, Tsunade was hugging a soft pillow. Her long golden hair spilled across the linens.
She was sleeping deeply, a defenseless, sweet smile curving her lips.
In her dreams, there was no smoke or blood. There was only the edge of the village, a house surrounded by a wooden fence, a patch of green grass in the backyard...
And in the distance, a vast, endless blue sea.
She squeezed the pillow tightly and let out a dependent, contented murmur.
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